Rejecting Baby Food

"Lately, my eight-month-old daughter refuses any of the solid baby food we've been feeding her. She throws a fit if she sees a spoon coming toward her mouth, turns her head, and refuses to eat. Is this just a stage she's going through or should I be worried?"

It sounds like your little girl is just acting her age. Plenty of nine-month-olds will flex their baby independence muscles by turning up their little noses at the spoon Mom (or Dad) is trying to wield their way. When she refuses to eat, she may be trying to let you know she's ready to move on to new textures of solid baby food ("I'm done with mush, Mom"). So now's the time to start expanding her culinary horizons and promoting her eating independence.

How? Begin by introducing new foods like baby finger foods that she can feed herself. (And really, any food becomes a baby finger food at this stage — even yogurt or apple sauce — so be prepared for a major mess!) Just lay out a few nibbles for her to select from, and let her pick and choose. Little cubes of soft-cooked sweet potato or carrot, soft-cooked pasta, soft cheese, or chunks of banana are all good baby finger foods to start with.

You can also encourage your daughter's exploration into feeding freedom by giving her a spoon of her own while you continue feeding her solid baby food. She may not be able to do much more than wave it around at first, but brandishing a spoon may keep her content and busy enough to enable you to dish up some food into her mouth. Plus, it's good practice for the future (the distant future, that is — expect most food to be delivered by fingers for a long time to come).

Another factor that might be contributing to your daughter's refusal to eat is a new disdain for high-chair captivity. As babies become more active (or have new mobility skills they want to practice), mealtime is no longer the highlight of their day. Teething can also cramp a baby's eating style and explain why she refuses to eat.

Whatever you do, don't let mealtime become battle time or you'll risk setting her up for future dinner-table duels. Be blasé no matter how much she eats or refuses to eat — and when she does feed herself solid baby food, reinforce her decision by giving her plenty of praise and encouragement.

Here's to Miss Independent,

View Sources

What to Expect The First Year, 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.